Claire Lewis’ Post

Check out the below post for webinar dates and to watch our PraeSeed Launch video 👇

🙌 It's official, #PraeSeed – our new cohort-based investing programme and a first for the North of England – launches today and applications are now open. 👉 The mission is simple, to find the #NextInTheNorth among the region's best startups and very early-stage businesses. 🎥 Check out the video below for a breakdown of the programme from our Investment Manager and #PraeSeed lead Jessica Jackson. 🎧 You can also catch us in-person or at one of our webinars to hear more about how you could learn from the best and unlock the investment you need. 📆 02/05 – Ask Me Anything in-person session with Jess and Mark Kuhillow at Department Bonded Warehouse (Manchester). Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ev5mUDPu 📆 10/05 – Ask Me Anything in-person session with Jess at FHundED Live (Lancaster): https://lnkd.in/gkR6w7Dw 📆 13/05 – Ask Me Anything webinar with Jess (Remote). Sign up via Zoom: https://lnkd.in/gpBFJED3 📆 17/05 – Ask Me Anything webinar with Jess (Remote). Sign up via Zoom: https://lnkd.in/g3kHDqi2 👉 As a reminder, #PraeSeed is for pre-seed founders looking for up to £200k investment, and you must be based in the North of England to apply. The capital comes with support and mentorship from industry experts. Apply here: #NextInTheNorth #VC #Investment #PreSeed

Enterprise Angels August Pitch night! Tuesday 13 August 5 pm - 7.30pm | University of Waikato - Tauranga Campus- 101 Durham Street Did you know that a version of Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank regularly takes place in Tauranga and Hamilton? Tauranga based, Enterprise Angels holds regular “pitch nights” for early-stage kiwi startups to present investment opportunities to their members and other potential investors. Enterprise Angels is a membership-based investment network with an objective to connect experienced early-stage investors with entrepreneurs and innovators. They believe growing innovative, socially and environmentally responsible companies is the key to ensuring people, communities, businesses, the environment, and the economy thrive. Since its inception in 2008, Enterprise Angels, has been a driving force in empowering over 100 innovative startup companies across New Zealand with investments totalling more than $68 million. https://lnkd.in/dKCdQG3S #Tauranga #PriorityOne #EnterpriseAngels #PitchNight #TaurangaMoana #Investment #Entrepreneurs

Trilantic North America is honored to be recognized as one of Inc. Magazine’s Founder-Friendly Investors for the fourth consecutive year. This award is a testament to our commitment to being a value-added partner to portfolio company management teams and helping drive long-term growth. See full list here: https://lnkd.in/ebhzF2Xq #founderfriendlyinvestors #privateequity #leader *Trilantic NA was awarded the above ranking from Inc. Magazine on October 29, 2024, the Inc. Founder Friendly List highlights firms that Inc. Magazine determined remained actively involved with the businesses in which they invest, and that earned the trust of the entrepreneurs they supported to help drive growth. Inc. Magazine selected firms based on questionnaires submitted by entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity and venture capital firms, detailing how their portfolio companies have grown during these partnerships. Compensation in the form of an application fee was provided by Trilantic NA to Inc. Magazine in connection with this award.

Our estates manager, Liz Cashon, recently attended a roundtable for TheBusinessDesk.com on the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII). The roundtable facilitated an insightful discussion on how creating the right conditions for entrepreneurs and innovative companies to thrive is hugely important to growth in the region. Liz joined other funders, fund managers, entrepreneurs, business owners and advisers to discuss the key themes of sustainable funding and growth. On the growth and investment of York Biotech Campus, Liz shared that her focus is on the wider ecosystem of bioscience in the region, commenting: “Obviously, it is very important to us to continue to nurture the growth of our businesses. But I think what our job really is to do, is to bring the experienced businesses to those early-stage businesses. “Luckily, we’ve got some really good mentors on the site that are very prepared to talk to those businesses and explain exactly how they were successful in achieving the funding. Bringing that community together is essential, but it’s also essential to reach out to the wider community.” Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eK_5a4DD Thank you to The Business Desk for hosting an engaging roundtable, it was fantastic to speak with Victoria Garcia, CEO of BindEthics Ltd., Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager and Simon Cunnington, Director at British Business Bank, James Fenwick, Director of Tråd Collective, Armando Leal Puente co-founder and Chief Executive of Eutechtics, Amir Hussain, Founder of Yeme Tech, Jason Crispin, Chief Executive at IMAGINaiTION, Will Clark, Managing Director and Pete Sorsby fund principal at Mercia Asset Management PLC, Christopher Lunardi, Ecosystem Manager at Barclays Eagle Labs. #Roundtable #Yorkshire #RegionalInvestment #Bioscience

In a world that continuously transforms, staying ahead means embracing innovation not just as a concept, but as an actionable practice. As I engage in the Okanagan 2024 Angel Summit, I am privileged to meet entrepreneurs actively innovating, creating, and advancing their industries, shaping future technologies and business strategies. Reflecting on my interactions and their business models, I find myself revisiting the core principles of design thinking—a methodology that harnesses creativity and empathy to solve complex problems. Here are crucial aspects every entrepreneur should articulate clearly when pitching an idea: Clear Problem Framing and Job to Be Done: Define the problem your product addresses clearly and explain the core task that your solution accomplishes. This clarity helps align the product with real user needs and market gaps. Understanding Personas and Their Journeys: Know who your customers are. Detailed personas and journey maps illustrate how potential customers interact with your product and what motivates them—crucial for crafting targeted solutions. Product Desirability, Feasibility, and Viability: Evaluate whether your product is desirable to your target market, technically feasible to develop, and economically viable to sustain. This triad forms the backbone of a product’s potential success. Success Metrics: Define success beyond personal achievements—include specific KPIs like profit margins, cost reduction, revenue growth, and other critical performance indicators. Clear Product Functionality Testing: Demonstrate how your product functions in real-world scenarios and how testing validates its claims. This builds trust and credibility with potential investors. Competitor Analysis: Use tools like the 2x2 framework to position your product relative to competitors. This analysis helps in identifying your unique value proposition and potential market advantages. Funding Allocation: Articulate how you plan to use the funds raised. Detail the benefits this will bring and the challenges it aims to address, ensuring transparency with potential investors. As the summit progresses, I look forward to continuing the selection process and wish all participants good luck in reaching the semi-finals. Let’s continue to drive change and innovation in our industries! For more details on the summit, visit https://lnkd.in/g3DR4t7U #entrepenurship #innovation #advocacy #productivity #angelinvesting #okanagan #kelowna #BC

For many early-stage founders, raising capital to a daunting process. In the current financial climate, it’s even more challenging. “This is as difficult environment as I’ve seen in 40 years,” Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute, says during a panel discussion, “How Early-Stage CPGs Should Talk to Investors.” It’s not just finding a funding source, but the right investor for your company. 📰 Get all the advice and read the full article via New Hope Network: https://lnkd.in/gnUYu4Z3 🌟 Thank you New Hope for sharing and recapping this virtual event we hosted earlier this year! ✍🏼: Dawn Reiss #HirshbergInstitute #HEIOnline #CPG #Investors #RaisingCapital #ConsumerPackagedGoods #FoodAndBeverageIndustry #EarlyStageStartups #EarlyStageInvesting #ExpoWest #ExpoEast #MissionDrivenBusiness #MissionDriven #EmergingBrands #StartupAdvice

𝐔𝐊 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 Few noteworthy points; • Investment of £3.4 billion to modernize IT systems in the National Health Service, unlocking £35 billion of savings • AstraZeneca to invest £650 million in the UK #lifesciences sector • Windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies extended until 2029 • New British Individual Savings Account (ISA), allowing investments of up to £5,000 in British companies, to drive UK stock investment In line with our involvement within the entrepreneurial community, Home Grown Ambassador Emma Sinclair MBE previously called out the damaging consequences of current angel investment rules, which led to an open letter supported by Angel Academe - increasing female investment, UK Business Angels Association, Startup Coalition, Home Grown and many others. The Treasury has since listened and announced the reversal of current angel investment rules. Hot off the press, Sarah Turner (founder and CEO of Angel Academe and also a Home Grown Ambassador) shared her insights into how these changes will unlock funding opportunities for female entrepreneurs, in an interview with Startups Magazine. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gCZrYtre Home Grown remains at the forefront of connecting entrepreneurs and investors in London. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dT2gVhX #members #membersclub #marylebone #networking #business #scaling #memberevents #investment #entrepreneurs #founders #events #londonevents #SpringBudget2024 #JeremyHunt #budget

Nailing the Q&A is a crucial part of any pitch, giving investors a clear view of your vision and potential. Last year, Sam Sutaria, CEO of WaterBear Network, turned this into an art form at the Blue Earth Summit 2023. Not only did Sam’s answers win over the audience, earning the People’s Choice Award, but they also secured investments from industry leaders in the audience 🏆 Curious about how Sam handled those tough questions with style? Check out some of the standout Q&A moments below! 👇 Looking to follow in WaterBear Network’s footsteps and pitch at Blue Earth Summit 2024 to hundreds of impact investors, with a collective access to £100 million+ in funding? Apply to the #BE100 today, Europe’s leading pitch competition for planet-positive businesses: https://lnkd.in/eUJPcKhY #BlueEarthSummit #WaterbearNetwork #PitchCompetition #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Investment #Impact

🤩I am SO excited to continue with our announcements and this is a real good one. Today we launch PraeSeed, the first cohort investment programme in the North of England for early stage businesses.    🤝The programme will focus on getting capital to preseed or pre-revenue businesses in the North West. We devised this based on SO much feedback from founders, ecosystem leaders and research telling us that the lack of investment at this stage is really limiting our region’s potential.   💫PraeSeed is a capital first programme deploying up to £200k into 35 start-ups over the next 5 years.   ❤️But this is about more than money. Our capital comes with advice from founders who’ve scaled success stories before and content from experts who can help businesses get the best start.    👇Here’s PraeSeed lead Jessica Jackson to tell you more.   📆Applications will open in May and the cohort will kick off in June.   #NextInTheNorth #preseed #preseedfunding #seedfunding #vcfunding